There wouldn't be many who think Million Stars Holdings Limited's (HKG:8093) price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 0.5x is worth a mention when the median P/S for the Media industry in Hong Kong is similar at about 0.8x. While this might not raise any eyebrows, if the P/S ratio is not justified investors could be missing out on a potential opportunity or ignoring looming disappointment.
See our latest analysis for Million Stars Holdings
How Million Stars Holdings Has Been Performing
Recent times have been quite advantageous for Million Stars Holdings as its revenue has been rising very briskly. It might be that many expect the strong revenue performance to wane, which has kept the share price, and thus the P/S ratio, from rising. If that doesn't eventuate, then existing shareholders have reason to be feeling optimistic about the future direction of the share price.
We don't have analyst forecasts, but you can see how recent trends are setting up the company for the future by checking out our free report on Million Stars Holdings' earnings, revenue and cash flow.What Are Revenue Growth Metrics Telling Us About The P/S?
In order to justify its P/S ratio, Million Stars Holdings would need to produce growth that's similar to the industry.
Taking a look back first, we see that the company grew revenue by an impressive 78% last year. However, this wasn't enough as the latest three year period has seen the company endure a nasty 40% drop in revenue in aggregate. Therefore, it's fair to say the revenue growth recently has been undesirable for the company.
In contrast to the company, the rest of the industry is expected to grow by 5.7% over the next year, which really puts the company's recent medium-term revenue decline into perspective.
With this information, we find it concerning that Million Stars Holdings is trading at a fairly similar P/S compared to the industry. It seems most investors are ignoring the recent poor growth rate and are hoping for a turnaround in the company's business prospects. Only the boldest would assume these prices are sustainable as a continuation of recent revenue trends is likely to weigh on the share price eventually.
What We Can Learn From Million Stars Holdings' P/S?
It's argued the price-to-sales ratio is an inferior measure of value within certain industries, but it can be a powerful business sentiment indicator.
Our look at Million Stars Holdings revealed its shrinking revenues over the medium-term haven't impacted the P/S as much as we anticipated, given the industry is set to grow. When we see revenue heading backwards in the context of growing industry forecasts, it'd make sense to expect a possible share price decline on the horizon, sending the moderate P/S lower. Unless the recent medium-term conditions improve markedly, investors will have a hard time accepting the share price as fair value.
Plus, you should also learn about these 3 warning signs we've spotted with Million Stars Holdings (including 1 which is potentially serious).
If these risks are making you reconsider your opinion on Million Stars Holdings, explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there.
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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.